SVUDL at the Tournament of Champions: The Future is Growing Bright
From April 15th-17th, top debaters across the country traveled to Lexington, Kentucky to compete to become the national victors of the annual Tournament of Champions (TOC). The TOC is the premier invitational debate championship in the United States .
The TOC was founded in 1972 by Dr. J.W. Patterson, Professor of Speech and Communications and Director of Debate at the University of Kentucky. Dr. Patterson envisioned the competition as a place where finalists from national circuit tournaments around the country would have an opportunity to go head-to-head in a single championship event. The rigorous qualifying process for the TOC distinguishes it from the other tournaments, and it is regarded by many as the gold standard of national circuit competition.
To be eligible to compete, debaters must “earn a bid” by making it to elimination rounds at qualifying national level tournaments. This year, Shadab Gazi Ali and Abhinav Reddy Bellapu from Silver Creek High School were awarded the honor to compete amongst the best and brightest in the TOC Public Forum Silver division. They are the first SVUDL students to attend the TOC in the history of our league. This is a particularly noteworthy accomplishment for students from a public high school: TOC qualifying schools are often well-resourced private institutions with extensive budgets and coaching staff.
After qualifying at the University of Kentucky Season Opener tournament, Shadab and Abhi prepared for the TOC with dedication and commitment throughout their debate season. On this trip, they were joined by their principal, Kelly Daugherty, and SVUDL Program Specialist Rachel Zubrin! Principal Daugherty was impressed by the students' focus and determination and thoroughly enjoyed her first experience at a national debate tournament. She reflected, “As principal of Silver Creek High School, I was impressed with the dedication and commitment our students have to Speech and Debate through the Silicon Valley Urban Debate League. The experience of attending the TOC in Kentucky was invaluable and life-changing to our students and me. The competition was intense, and our students rose to the occasion.”
The team was able to secure two wins amongst their seven rounds of competition. While it wasn’t the record they were hoping for, Shadab and Abhinav persevered and emerged stronger from the experience. Shadab shared this reflection:
Participating in the Tournament of Champions was undoubtedly one of the highlights of my year. The experience of debating against some of the greatest teams in the country, as well as watching my fellow peers from many different regions brought an excitement that I have not experienced before; it thrills me to know that many future SVUDL debaters will one day follow my footsteps and participate in the highest level possible while making new friends and bringing success to our well-deserving team for years to come. Many elements of the trip will remain deeply precious to me in the future, as I am sure that they will influence me to become as dedicated as a person as I can be in whatever field I go to. From the hot and humid rooms of the Funkhouser Building to the nervous tensions of the Finals at the Carriage Hall, these experiences of joy, wonder, and curiosity are ones I truly wish every debater can experience at least once. I aim to be back again next year, with the friends I’ve made this year following suit and joining me.
In order to make this dream come true, I want to extend my deepest gratitude to the Silicon Valley Urban Debate League, Rachel, and Principal Daugherty of Silver Creek. This trip was more than just debating, it was about making friends. I could not have dreamed of a more uplifting and motivating team behind me, and I am truly at a loss for words for my happiness and admiration for the incredible individuals who have made this event possible. Amid the wins and losses of competing, I hope I have inspired my fellow peers to push themselves to the best version of themselves. The future is growing bright, and I can see all of our names start to show up on ‘the map’.
FROM LEFT: PRINCIPAL KELLY DAUGHERTY, SHADAB ALI AND ABHINAV BELLAPU.
Abhinav shared his own reflections, noting, “The TOC was quite the experience and one I won't forget for a lifetime. Having all of the best debaters competing under one roof provided us with the unique opportunity to learn from the very peers we watched and admired throughout the season. Although we were not able to qualify for elimination rounds, all of our rounds were intense nail-biters and great lessons for the future. Aside from debating, the in-person environment made it a pleasure and we were delighted to see our friends in the community. Shadab and I can't wait to travel to Lexington again for round 2 next year!”
We are so proud of Abhi and Shadab for representing SVUDL and Silver Creek at this wonderful tournament! Their performance and dedication serve to honor us all!
